Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2016 i 25 Beautiful Homes

In our home we have many different shades of blue, from a strong shade in the kitchen to a more dark and moody one in one of our son’s bedrooms – he chose it, not me. I love using this colour in our home and I find that it’s a shade I wear quite often, too. It’s a colour that can represent many moods, from calm and restful to vibrant and energising, so I’m very happy it’s on trend this year. Looking through this issue I can see that blue is also a firm favourite with our homeowners this month. Flick through and you’ll see sofas and chairs that bring warmth and focus to neutral schemes, while there are plenty of cushions used as an accent throughout. I particularly like…

BATHROOM WALL LIGHT I saw a picture of an industrial-style wall light in a bathroom, but having tracked it down, my electrician tells me it cannot be installed in my bathroom for safety reasons. Can you recommend anything with a similar look, preferably in black? HELEN GRANGER, WILTSHIRE Your electrician is right not to fit a light that is unsuitable because if moisture gets into the fitting, it can be dangerous. The Lampe Gras 304 light in black satin (shown right) is similar and has a rating of IP64, so it’s suitable for bathrooms. It costs £253 from Holloways of Ludlow (020 7602 5757, hollowaysofludlow.com). Davey Lighting (020 7351 2130, davey-lighting.co.uk) started out as a marine lighting manufacturer, and as a result many of its lights are appropriate for bathrooms.…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached 1940s house LOCATION Southeast London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ kitchen-diner, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived next door before buying this place as well,’ says Janene. Janene and Julian Waudby didn’t have too far to look when it came to buying their home in southeast London – they were living next door to it. ‘Our neighbour had sadly passed away,’ explains Janene, a lawyer and potter. ‘She had lived in the house all her life and had witnessed the bombing of a trio of Victorian homes that included her own, during World War II, before being rebuilt in 1947. So our first instinct was to be protective of it. We didn’t want a developer to…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted barn, built in the 1700s LOCATION Gloucestershire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms (both en suite) PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a nearby country cottage for 30 years,’ says Heather. Renovating a derelict property and transforming it into a dream home is on many people’s wish lists – and if you are able to carry out the work yourself, all the better. Heather Boyland and her husband Steve, a skilled carpenter, had always hoped they would renovate a building from scratch. Having done up a cottage in the Gloucestershire countryside and lived there for 30 years with their son Mitchell, Steve was itching to embark on a more ambitious challenge. When the couple first heard about a…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Arts & Crafts semi-detached, built 1901 LOCATION South London ROOMS Hall, sitting room/kitchen-diner/study area, playroom, utility room, cloakroom, five bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We had a terraced house in south London before moving here,’ says Fiona. For Australian-born Fiona Johnson, a visit back home reminded her of the kind of upbringing she’d enjoyed – one that she wanted to pass down to her young family. ‘I went on holiday to Australia to visit my three siblings and I felt so inspired by the way they live,’ says Fiona. ‘I’d been in London for 15 years, but when we had Louis, 10, and Billy, 7, I began to crave a house like my family had in Australia, with lots of light…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached Edwardian villa LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner/snug, office, utility room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved here from a 1950s house nearby,’ says Josie. After 20 years of moving house an average of once every three years, Josie and Steve Ogram fell in love with a property they hope never to leave. ‘Life on the go is hard work, but I’m a bit of a nomad at heart and we both enjoyed doing up properties,’ explains Josie. ‘It has been a rewarding creative experience and a way to move up the ladder, but the time had come to settle down.’ The couple finally found their dream home in an Edwardian villa not too far…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian terrace LOCATION North London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, study, garden room, three bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We rented a one-bedroom flat nearby when we first returned from Australia,’ says Brett. After living in Australia for several years, Hayet and Brett Danton felt the pull of Europe too overwhelming to ignore. ‘I come from France and Brett is from the UK, and we both wanted to be closer to friends and family,’ says Hayet. They then considered the pluses and minuses of England versus France. ‘I speak French and English, so I can work anywhere, but as a film director and photographer, Brett knew that he would benefit most from being in the UK, so we decided…

Spring signals a fresh start and is a great opportunity to clear the cobwebs and embrace the shift in season. Inspired by a clean, bright aesthetic, the new collection from The White Company will add that extra feel of luxury to your home. From exquisite bedlinen that feels wonderful to sleep on but also launders beautifully, to indulgent bathroom products for a fabulous spa-like finish – not to mention elegant kitchenware for hosting the perfect lunch! The White Company is passionate about the quality of its products and offers something truly special at affordable prices. So we’ve teamed up with 25 Beautiful Homes to give you an exclusive 20% off your order, plus free delivery* when you use the code AH866. HOW TO CLAIM 20% DISCOUNT ONLINE at…

Design ideas THE DADO EFFECT Isabelle de Spirlet and Christine Jonckheere have created a faux dado rail in their stylish dining room. The wall has been divided in two and painted blue beneath and white above. Perfect for a room that lacks original features, this clever trick of the eye creates an artificial dado effect at waist height. Evoking a sense of history, it gives the room more character and creates a balanced feeling. The lower part of the wall has been painted in a serene grey blue that ties in with the colour of the cupboard, and breaks up the bare expanse of wall. Alternative ideas would be to use a statement wallpaper or a hand-finished paint effect such as marbling or wood graining on the lower wall. SOFT…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Green-oak-framed, contemporary house LOCATION Cambridgeshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen/snug, dining area, study, mezzanine, cloakroom, four bedrooms (three en suite), bathroom BUILT 2014 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before we moved in here, we rented a four-bedroom Victorian farmhouse,’ says Olga. Stewart and Olga Lund had always yearned to build their own home. ‘We wanted a modern, light-filled property in the countryside, with the open-plan feeling we love,’ says Stewart. Living near London was vital for work, so the couple rented in Hertfordshire while looking for the perfect site. Searching online, they found three adjacent plots in Cambridgeshire, close to a commuter rail station, and they opted for two of them. The two-and-a half-acre site came with three existing houses, plus barns, but the Lunds decided to demolish…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY 18th-century thatched cottage LOCATION County Down ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen, snug, cloakroom, three bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a modern house in Belfast, so this is something completely different,’ says Jill. For most people, an escape to the country means a chance to take things a little easier – but for Jill and David Crawford, life has never been busier. ‘In the past eight years, we’ve moved, got married, had two children and started our own company. So it has been a busy time,’ says Jill. ‘However, life has definitely changed for the better – for a start, our commute has been slashed to about 10 steps!’ Jill and David always loved this part of Northern Ireland, beside ancient Strangford Lough.…

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REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached Victorian house LOCATION Shackleford, Surrey ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, dining area, kitchen-diner, study, utility room, boot room, gym, cloakroom, six bedrooms (four en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this we lived in a coach house in Guildford,’ says Cassia. With her clear vision for creatively restoring character properties and passion for interior design, Cassia Morris relished the opportunity to enhance the period features of a tired looking Victorian rectory. ‘I realised this would be my most ambitious project to date but, given time and patience, I also knew the result would be worth it,’ she explains. When she first came across the property, Cassia and her solicitor husband, Tim, were living with their three children, Bianca, Jack and Dylan, in…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Victorian mansion-block apartment LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, snug, three bedrooms (two en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2007 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a smaller flat in Chelsea before moving here,’ says Arabella. Transforming a home doesn’t necessarily require a complete overhaul, as Arabella and Richard Lund were to discover when they decided to update the apartment they share in central London. ‘Richard had lived here for a number of years before we met, and the interiors had a masculine feel that we both felt needed softening,’ explains Arabella. ‘It was time to modernise some of the furnishings and make the space feel more welcoming.’ Arabella grew up in Zimbabwe, while Richard spent a number of years in Hong Kong and…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached 1930s house LOCATION Sligo, Ireland ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, study, laundry room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (two en suite), dressing room, bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in a four-bedroom semidetached house nearby,’ says Ann. Ann T. Gallagher couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the ‘For Sale’ sign on this elegant country house in the Irish coastal town of Sligo. ‘I grew up in the area and had always known and loved this house,’ explains Ann. ‘In fact, I viewed the property when it went up for sale more than a decade ago, but it was bought by a developer. Then, a few years ago, while on my way to the beach for a long walk, I saw the sign,…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Edwardian semi-detached LOCATION South Belfast ROOMS Hall, sitting room/ dining room/kitchen, snug, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2011 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived nearby in a period property,’ says Siobhan. Belfast-based Siobhan and Barrie McQuillan knew they had been spoiled by the period charm of the property they lived in during university and into married life. So after the birth of their first child Jamie, now 6, they wanted to replicate that character when it came to upsizing. ‘Not long after we started looking, we found an Edwardian semi and couldn’t work out why it hadn’t been snapped up,’ says Siobhan, a building surveyor for the National Trust. ‘We were blown away by the quality of the house, including its natural light,…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Grade II listed cottage LOCATION Rutland ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, study, cloakroom, two bedrooms, shower room, guest bathroom PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in campus accommodation at the school where we work,’ says Aimee. Six years ago, when Aimee and Rick Mearkle began looking for their first home together, they didn’t know where to start. The American-born pair spent three years viewing houses in several counties before Rick discovered an exciting development in Rutland while browsing online. ‘An assortment of outbuildings on an old hall’s estate had been converted to create five homes and we were intrigued,’ says Aimee. ‘We discovered that they’d been added to the grounds during the 1920s and were designed by noted British architect Harry…

UNIQUE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Australian bush house LOCATION Yallingup, Western Australia ROOMS Sitting room/ dining area, kitchen, snug, three bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2010 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We moved from a smaller house in Fremantle,’ says Melanie. Melanie and Joe Clark’s country house in Western Australia is filled with covetable things and the single-storey house is a playful and comfortable home from home. Vintage maps and giant artworks decorate the walls and there are cosy cushions combined with a few design classics. Creating a tasteful space comes quite easily to this couple – they have their own website that specialises in beautiful handmade home accessories by small Australian makers and designers. The couple’s children, 9-year-old twins, Gabriel and Sofia, have fairytale-themed bedrooms. Sofia has a handmade quilt and crocheted blankets…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Two-storey apartment on top of an 18th-century house LOCATION Brussels, Belgium ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 2008 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We renovated an apartment in the city before this,’ says Isabelle. After working on several renovations for clients, eight years ago, interior designers Isabelle de Spirlet and Christine Jonckheere bought the top two floors of an 18th-century house in the Brussels district of Saint-Gilles and embarked on a sizeable project of their own. ‘The property was unusual in that it consisted of 12 maids’ bedrooms, known as “chambres de bonnes,”’ says Isabelle, ‘but what made it attractive was that it came with access to a large 50 square metre area outside. To have a terrace of that size in…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Five-storey Georgian terrace LOCATION Bristol ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, dining area, kitchen, study, six bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 1998 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We had a four-storey Victorian house in Bristol before,’ says Penny. ‘Life’s about taking on new, exciting challenges,’ says Penny Godfrey, which is why she and her husband Alastair bought their five-storey Georgian house in Bristol 15 years ago. ‘We didn’t have to move – our house was big enough for us and our baby daughter Millie, now 17,’ says Penny. ‘But we’d heard that this place was coming on the market and it had a lot of character. So we put a note through the door asking the owner if he was intending to sell. Soon after, he…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Stone cottage, dating from 1860 LOCATION County Fermanagh/Tyrone border, Northern Ireland ROOMS Drawing room, family room/dining room, kitchen, cloakroom, four bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We also own a house in County Tyrone,’ says Rosemary. There has always been something lyrically evocative about ‘the folks who live on the hill’. So when Rosemary Bothwell had the opportunity to buy into the romantic idyll, she jumped at the chance. ‘My husband Harold and I have loved this corner of Northern Ireland for a long time,’ she says. ‘It’s beautifully rural with picturesque countryside and we’d passed this hilltop cottage many times on our way to the lakes nearby. When it finally came on the market, we couldn’t wait to take a…

DISTINCTIVE HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Terraced cottage, built in 1880 LOCATION Southwest London ROOMS Sitting room/kitchen-diner, three bedrooms (all en suite) PURCHASED 2005 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I moved here from a detached Victorian cottage also in southwest London,’ says Sue. Despite her affection for the countryside, Sue Brookes admits that rolling hills, quiet lanes and quaint pubs aren’t the only things that inspire her. What the interior stylist loves most is the cosy and characterful homes found there. ‘When I moved into this terraced cottage on a street not far from central London, where there’s quite a bit of hustle and bustle, my main objective was to create a calm, rustic atmosphere,’ explains Sue. ‘I only had myself to please, so it was a good opportunity for me to design my…

1 AU NATUREL Millie two-piece set of rattan storage baskets, £69.99, Wayfair 2 FISH DISH Round boat-motif platter, £8, Sainsburys 3 SHIP’S LANTERN Large iron candle lamp, £199, Pad Lifestyle 4 SIGNATURE STRIPES Regatta wooden ornamental oar, £45, Linea Home at House of Fraser 5 CATCH OF THE DAY Set of two fish panels, £65, Laura Ashley 6 COASTAL COMFORT Padstow corner sofa, £2,000, The White Company 7 TRAY CHIC Oken folding table, £28, Habitat 8 HARBOUR LIFE Beach House jacquard cushion, £10, Matalan 9 SHIP SHAPE Sailing boat ornament, £15, George…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Semi-detached family home, built in 1901 LOCATION New Forest, Hampshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, kitchen-diner, snug, utility room, cloakroom, six bedrooms, two bathrooms PURCHASED 1990 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We lived in a lovely little cottage not far away before this,’ says Sue. Sue and Peter Jones started house-hunting when extra space became a priority. Their daughter Lucy was growing up and, with a second baby on the way, their cottage had begun to feel rather cramped. The property that caught Sue’s eye was the larger portion of a substantial Edwardian house, set in open, green space on the edge of a pretty New Forest town. It offered plenty of room and a spacious garden, as well as elegant proportions and attractive period details. Although not really…

REPLANNED HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Part of a two-storey apartment added to an existing building in the 1990s LOCATION Southeast London ROOMS Hall, sitting room. kitchen-diner, office, bedroom (en suite), shower room PURCHASED 2004 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before buying this place, I lived in a lovely Victorian flat in west London,’ says Elisabeth. Tired of her job in finance, working on the trading floor, Elisabeth Johnsson decided to retrain as an interior designer. After completing various high-end projects and setting up her own company L Works, she thought it was time to revamp her own home. ‘I bought this apartment in southeast London in 2004, knowing that I could improve it in time when more money became available,’ explains Elisabeth. ‘It’s in one of the coolest neighbourhoods this side of the…

NEW-BUILD HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Contemporary detached home, built in 2005 LOCATION County Donegal ROOMS Kitchen/sitting/dining area, dining room, cloakroom, four bedrooms (all en suite) PURCHASED 2009 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘I lived in Australia before moving here, and this is our first home together,’ says Lin. South African-born Lin Crossle could never have guessed that deciding to go on holiday to Spain in 2007 would turn out to alter the course of her life. During that holiday Lin, who was living in Australia at the time, met Bobby, who was to become her husband. ‘It was the last thing I expected to happen,’ says Lin, ‘but luckily it was the start of a great adventure. ‘The first time I came to visit Bobby in Donegal, I was just blown away by…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Georgian vicarage LOCATION Nottinghamshire ROOMS Hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen-diner, snug/TV room, study, utility room, boot room, two cloakrooms, four bedrooms (two en suite), dressing room, bathroom PURCHASED 1994 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a detached 1970s house nearby,’ says Sue. Sue Willis and husband John say they ‘just fancied a change’ when they chose to move house, yet stay in the same village. With a local business to run and long-standing friends in the area, total disruption was the last thing on their minds. ‘But we’d been in our previous home for 20 years and we were ready to tackle another project,’ says Sue. An unobtrusive old vicarage with elegant façade and generous rooms that Sue spotted in an estate agent’s…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Detached Georgian house LOCATION West Sussex ROOMS Hall, drawing room, sitting room, kitchen-diner, dining room, family room, snug, study, library, utility room, cloakroom, six bedrooms, (three en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 2006 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘We used to live in a new-build near Chichester,’ says Victoria. Victoria and David Beattie had lived in a succession of new-builds, so when they spotted an appealing but dated Georgian property in West Sussex, they were unsure about tackling an ambitious renovation. ‘We were in a complete quandary about whether to take it on or walk away,’ says Victoria. ‘New-builds are quite soulless so we loved the idea of living in a property with history, but the scale of the work was daunting,’ says Victoria. ‘The survey had shown problems…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY An apartment in an 18th-century building LOCATION Stockholm ROOMS Hall, sitting/dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before moving to this place, we lived in an apartment just two streets away,’ says Sophia. To say that Swedish interior designer Sophia Björnsdotter doesn’t stay still for long is an understatement. She estimates that she’s moved 18 times in the last 15 years. So it’s no surprise that she is constantly tweaking the period apartment she shares with her two children, Zoe, 5, and Hazel, 3, close to the centre of Stockholm. Small but perfectly formed, it is a study in Sophia’s decorative interests, which range from flea-market finds, such as the dashing drinks trolley in her bedroom, to a selection of high-street heroes,…

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INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Converted early 19th-century barn next to a main farmhouse LOCATION Bodmin, Cornwall ROOMS Sitting room, kitchen-diner, two bedrooms (one en suite), two bathrooms PURCHASED 1987 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, I’d lived in various cities, including London and New York,’ says Janet. Having travelled the world as an art director and scenic artist for TV and film production companies, including a visit to Cornwall in the 1970s, Janet Shearer knew that she was destined to escape to the English countryside. ‘I visited the West Country for a weekend in 1978 during the filming of Frank Langella’s Dracula , and was completely unprepared for the astonishing beauty of the Cornish landscape,’ she recalls. ‘I’d discovered a place that truly suited me, so I decided to make Cornwall…

INSPIRING HOME TRUTHS THE PROPERTY Georgian townhouse LOCATION Dublin ROOMS Hall, sitting room, drawing room, garden room, kitchen-diner, study, two cloakrooms, four bedrooms (one en suite), bathroom PURCHASED 2013 PREVIOUS PROPERTY ‘Before this, we lived in a smaller Georgian house nearby,’ says Katie. After years of taupe-hued minimalism, a more evolutionary approach to design is defining the look of Katie O’Driscoll’s contemporary home. It’s what she describes as ‘a combination of old and new’ and it’s exemplified perfectly in the Georgian townhouse that she shares with her husband George and their three children, Grace, 6, Ellie, 4, and Bobby, 2. Here, period features including mouldings, fireplaces and shuttered windows sit effortlessly alongside roomy sofas, artisanal furnishings and sun-washed spaces. This ‘best of both worlds’ feel was what drew the couple…